


When Jack’s Not Enough

by allinall



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-02-23 15:02:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13192611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allinall/pseuds/allinall
Summary: Katherine leaves Jack because there just isn't enough money. Poor Jack gets beat up, Crutchie gets sick, and Katherine realizes she's made a mistake.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Not gonna lie- this story is kinda all over the place. Oh well.

Katherine and Matthew walk hand in hand down the street, and Katherine grows more nervous by the second. They were getting close to Jack’s usual selling spot. Katherine usually doesn’t go out of her way to ignore him, but today of all days, the morning after Matthew came home with bloody knuckles after him and a couple of his “friends” beat up and robbed some poor newsie, she knew he wouldn’t ignore it.

Jack was very protective of his boys and if he saw the perpetrator in the streets, no doubt it’d be a brawl. She doesn’t want to think about what he’d do after finding out she was with Matthew instead of him.

  
Honestly, Katherine reluctantly admits to herself that she’d rather be with Jack, but with her father's threats of kicking her out, she couldn’t risk it. Jack barely makes enough to support him and the boys; she can’t add herself to that list. The truth of the matter is girl reporters just don’t make enough.

  
They rounded the corner and Katherine all but froze at the sound of Jack yelling out the new headline, though she knows full well he probably made it all up.

  
But when she spotted Jack, she actually did freeze. His walking was a little funny as he obviously favored his left side. There was also a poorly wrapped bandage around his arm that no doubt crutchie did for him. But it was his face that made Katherine realize. The bruises around his neck and the black eye.

The newsie Matthew attacked was Jack.

Here she thought it was one of the gambling boys, and that maybe they got themselves into that position, but it was their leader. The guy who ties crutchie’s shoe and stays up all night with Romeo after a nightmare. And her fiancé beat him up.

  
Then, like it all happened in slow motion, Matthew and Jack made eye contact. Jack scowled, and Matthew smirked, obviously proud of what he’d done to the poor boy.

Then Jack looked at her and Katherine’s heart broke. It was far worse than the day she called it quits. He looked at her so hurt and confused. No anger.

  
Matthew made some rude comment Katherine ignored, before sending him off to the store down the road to fetch something for her.

  
Reluctantly, Katherine walked over to Jack. Neither said anything.

  
“Are you-,” Jack started, shifting between feet a few times, “Are you happy?”

  
“I think so,” Katherine replied a little so quickly, not really believing her own words.

  
Jack gave a sad nod and looked down, and for the first time since they’ve met, Katherine didn’t see any of that confidence that he used to exude.

  
She noticed the large number of papers still in his bag, “Slow day?” She asked, going for small talk.

  
“Hm?” He seemed startled by the question, before realizing what she was talking about, “Oh no. Um- Crutch ain’t been feeling too good lately. You know with the cold and all that, so I’m covering for him. Just till he gets good again.”

  
“Oh.” There she goes feeling bad again, “Well I’ll take one.” She handed him and dime (even though a paper would normally only cost her a penny), and he shoved it into his pocket, handing her the newest edition of the World. Even though they both knew she could just get a copy for free from her father.

  
It was then when their hands touched that she realized how cold he really was. It was only 20 degrees outside, and he didn’t even have his vest on.

  
“Jack!” She exclaimed, grabbing his hands, “You’re freezing!”

  
“Yeah well-“ Jack pulled his hands back roughly, stepping back from her, “That’s what happens when someone takes 2 Days pay, and your jacket from ya.”

  
She followed his glare over to Matthew, who was walking out of the store now, looking for Katherine. She felt an anger for Matthew she never had before. That’s just mean. It’s common sense that newsies don't have much, why take a kids clothing and money when they obviously needed it more than he did.

And now Jack is working longer, with double the load and 1/2 the pay just to keep Crutchie and himself alive. Although she knows that he’ll spend all that money on the boys first before even thinking about himself.

  
Matthew spotted her and started walking over; Jack took this as his cue to get the hell out of dodge.

  
Katherine grabbed his arm stopping him, “Jack. I’m so sorry. Really. I won’t let this happen again I promise. I’ll talk to him.”

  
Jack scoffed and gave her a sad smile, “Ace look,” she smiled at the nickname, “I ain’t stupid. I know how this world works. And I know that I could never have the things you do or be the man he is. So as long as you’re happy- don’t worry about me.”

  
Katherine went to tell him that he’s wrong that he didn’t deserve that hand that was dealt him.

He didn’t deserve to be working harder and longer than anybody else in this city. He didn’t deserve to be plagued by nightmares of the refuge every night. He didn’t deserve to be beat up and robbed just because he’s poor. He didn’t deserve to practically be a human icesicle on the street. But she didn’t say any of that because soon enough Matthew had caught up to them.

  
“Hey,” Matthew said pushing Jack away from her, “Get outta here you stupid gutter rat.”

  
Jack looked angry but reeled it in quickly and shot a resigned look over to Katherine, before walking (or rather, hobbling) away.  
  
She wanted nothing more than to yell out to him, tell him all she couldn’t before, but Matthew being there stopped her. She had no idea what he’d do to jack if she did.


	2. Katherine Visits Her Boys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I had no intentions to make another chapter of this... but here we are. Chapter 2. Katherine realizes she's made a mistake and goes to visit her boys.

When Matthew and herself arrived home, Katherine made a beeline straight for her bedroom, shut the door and locked herself in. She felt sick. Jack’s words kept replaying in her mind.

_“I ain’t stupid. I know how this world works. And I know that I could never have the things you do or be the man he is. So as long as you’re happy- don’t worry about me.”_

The selfish part of her wishes he was an ass about it. She wished he would’ve had the normal human reaction of getting mad, maybe punching Matthew, maybe yelling at Katherine for being the reason he was a nearly-dead, half-icesicle on the street.

But no. This was Jack Kelly they were talking about. The kind, charismatic leader of the lower Manhattan newsies.

Jack’s been beat down by the upper class at their every chance and the worst part, Katherine thinks, is that he actually believes it. Some stupid part of that thick skull of his thinks that he wasn’t good enough for Katherine. He believes that he can never be more than the homeless, orphan, poor, gutter rat that her fiance always calls mocks him for.

She spends several hours, long into the afternoon and evening, thinking about this. How she despises Matthew. How she loves Jack. She wonders when money started to control her life. Katherine doesn’t want to be with Matthew, yet he’s the one with a steady well paying job and her father’s blessing. And part of her just wants to say screw the money and screw her father, but Katherine knows that it’s not realistic.

Because if she does go for Jack, and by some miracle, he actually accepts her back, her father would cut her off. The Sun doesn’t pay her nearly enough to support herself. And Jack.. Well. Jack works all day everyday and still is barely making do.

She wonders how the boys are doing. How Jack is doing.

She can’t ever be with him, but surely a little check up on the boys wouldn’t hurt?

She spends what seems like hours debating it, before writing a small “I will be back before supper, don’t worry” note to Matthew and her father, putting on her least fancy-looking clothes and sneaks out her window, down the fire escape and over to the lodging house.

She’s only about halfway when a small voice calls out.

“Kath!” A familiar voice yells, and she sees Romeo running towards her, arms open.

She laughs and embraces him in a hug. “Hey Romeo, how’re you today?” She asks, joining him in the walk back to the lodging house.

“I’s okay Kath!” He said excitedly, talking fast as always, “I’s worried ‘bout Jack tho. Some rich guys roughed ‘im up pretty bad. And with Crutchie bein’ sick ‘nd all. He jus’ seems tired, ya know?”

Katherine gave him a small smile back, “Yeah- he looked pretty beat earlier.”

They continued their walk, Romeo talking a mile a minute about everything from today’s headline to the nickel some lady gave him while he pulled what he called his, “Extra special sad face”. Katherine laughed at that.

They finally arrived back at the lodging house and watched as Romeo slung his bag off and ran into the room, to join the rest of the other rowdy boys.

Race came in soon after, shushing them, “Crutchie’s tryin’ to sleep ya hear? Quiet down will ya?”

Race stopped when he spotted Katherine. He turned around to make sure the boys were all pre-occupied before grabbing her arm and slipping out the door.

“What is yous doin’ here?” Race said leaning his back against the wall, chewing on his cigar.

“I uh-” Katherine stumbled over her words, “I just wanted to come and uh- you know. Check on you guys?”

“Check on us?” Race scoffed, “Or check on Jack after yous fancy rich husband beat ‘im up?”

“He’s not my husband.” Katherine replied lamely, “Not yet anyway.”

Race gave her a look that reminded Katherine a lot of Jack’s.

“Listen,” She started again, “This wasn’t supposed to happen. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. I’m sorry.”

“Well listen here miss rich snob,” Race began, pushing off the wall, his eyes glaring into Katherines.

“Racer.” Jack interrupted with a warning tone. He stood leaning against the doorway, hands tucked deep into his pockets.

“Jack she’s a traitor! She-” Race attempted to make his point, but Jack held up his hand, stopping him in his tracks.

“I just got Crutch ‘ta sleep. Mind gettin’ ‘im some more ice while he’s out?” Katherine was shocked at the quick change of tone in both Jack and Race.

Both pairs of eyes softened and Race let out a quiet, “Sure thing,” Before running off to go fetch what Jack asked.

Now that it was just the two of them, awkward silence followed.

Jack refused to look at her in the eye and kept his stare pointed towards his shuffling feet.

“What’s wrong with Crutchie?” Katherine hesitantly asked, taking a few steps closer to him. His eyes darkened.

“I’s not sure. But it’s bad.” He replied, still refusing to look at her.

Another silence followed, this one only slightly less awkward than the last.

“Whys you here Ace?” His tone was soft and gentle, a definite change from the tone he used when talking to the boys.

The nickname brought a slight smile to her face and she stepped forward, placing her hand on his cheek. He winced slightly as her thumb brushed over his black eye and she looked at him, eyes full of regret and sympathy. “Jack I’m so sorry.” She began, “I screwed up.”


End file.
